Adding-machine



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

'ADDING MACHINE.

i? @ffii QNo Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. C; PORRESTER.

` vADDING'N11/10111115I No. Z119-,6061

Patented N0v.15,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER C. FORRESTER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFQRNIA.

ADDING-MACHINE..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,606, dated November15, 1881.

Application filed July 5, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER G. FoEREsTEE, of the city and county of SanFrancisco, State of California, have invented an Adding-Machine; and Ihereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof.

My invention relates to the class of addingmachines the design of whichis to record the sums of successive figures by mechanical applianceswithout any other mental operation than is necessary to work themachine.

The principle of my invention is the operation of needles upon dials bymeans of a keyboard through intermediate mechanism, whereby theescapement governing the needles is regulated to respond to the actionof individual keys denoting the nine digits, all of which willhereinafter more fully appear, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings, in Which- Figure lis a View of my invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal vertical section. Fig. 3 is a view of the mechanism.

Let A represent a frame-work, having an up ri ghtportion and akey-boardresembling somewhat an upright-piano. Upon the key-board are keys B,having their fulcrum upon a shaft, C, as shown. For convenience I haveplaced four keys upon one side of a dividing-line and five on the other.The keys represent each number up to nine, and are so properlydesignated, from which it will be seen that I prefer to place the oddnumbers on one side and'the even on the other, following in thisarrangement nothing but convenience, deeming it easier to rapidly pickout each number when l thus divided. Under each key is a small sprin g,d, which forces it up after being pressed down. In the upright portionof the frame, near the lower part, is journaled a shaft, D, to which aresecured projecting pins d, there being nine in all, one for each key,and projecting toward and over each key. Upon the rear ends of the keysare forked arms or lifters b, in the forks of which the project-ing pinsd lie when said keys are pressed down `in front so that their forks areraised to meet the pins.

E represents springs, which hold the shaft in its proper position-thatis, with the pins about horizontal.`

The operation thus far is as follows: If any (No model.)

key be pressed down in front its rear end is raised and its forked armengages with and presses up the pin, and thus turns the shaft D. Whenthe key is released its spring a causes it to return, and the shaft D,being released, will turn back, being drawn by its spring E. The shaft Dis therefore a rocking or oscillating shaft.

Attached to the shaft D, near one end, is a downwardly-inclinedcrank-arm, F, to the end of which an upright rod, G, is pivoted. Hrepresents a plate 'supported from and parallel to the front of theframe A by end posts or supports. The top of the upright rod Gis pivotedto a crank-arm, I, secured upon a horizontal shaft, J, journaled in theframe and in the plate H.

Upon the shaftJ is secured a gear-segment, K, the teeth of which engagewith a pinion, Z, upon a shaft, L, journaled between the frame and plateH. The shaft L carries a peculiar plate, M, an enlarged View of which isshown in Fig. 3. It has five points, and the lines joining said pointsare concaved,asshown. In

one side is a groove, m, around the edge following the contour thereofand closed at both ends, so that said groove is not continuous, thoughnearly so. This groove may, therefore, be divided into a series oflowestpoints and of highest points, or of depressions and elevaticns,theformer being at the middles and the latter at the points.Foramore'perfect understanding of the purpose ofthe plate I have markeditas follows, and will explain the reason as I proceed: Beginning,therefore, with the first depression, I mark it I; elevation following,2; next depression, 3, and so on, numbering the last depression 9. Itwill be perceived the starting-point or first elevation I have notnumbered.

N is a shaft,carrying the bentrod u, the end of which fits within thegroove m of the plate M, and is adapted to move in said groove as theplate is turned,thus following the contour of the groove. Upon the sameshaft N is the double arm escapement Q, engaging with theescapement-wheel R upon a shaft, S. -Upon the same shaft S, whichextends through the front of the frame, is a dial-finger, T, upon adial, U. This dial is divided into units, commencing at zero and runningthrough nine.

IOO

Now, suppose the rod G islifted, it turns the shaft J, and, through thegear-seginent K and pinion Z, turns the plate M. If it be lifted alittle, so that the plate M turns one side, the rod a will follow thegroove on down to one de- 'pression and to one point or elevation. Indoing this it releases the escapement twice, once at the depressionmarked 1 and once at the elevation marked 2, because in traveling insaid groove it rocks the shaft N, so that one arm of theescapementreleases the escapementwheel to move half a tooth, and on thereturnrock causes the other arm to release the wheel the other halftooth. This allows the dial-finger T to move one space. The dialfiingeris moved by clock-work, as hereinafter shown. It takes two movements ofthe shaft N and double arm to allow the escapement-wheel to move onetooth. These two movements are obtained by causing the shaft to rockforth and back by means of the bent rod a traveling in the groove m. Asthe rod goes down in the depression l of the groove the shaft rocksdown, and as it goes up to the following elevation the shaft rocks up,and the two together allow theescapementto score one. It is obvious thatif I turn the plate M only j ust far enough to rock the shaftN down andthen turn it back again the shaft N must rock up, because the rod areturns to an elevation in the groove m. This being the case, I utilizethe return of the plate M and make it score an equal number as in itsforward movement, thus always bringing it back to the start.

The forked arms or lifters b upon the rear end of each key are so setthat they can only move the rocking shaft D a certain distance. Thus thearm belonging to the key marked l is so low that it does not touch thepin doi' the shaft until the key is nearly down to its limit, and thenit raises it enough to cause plate M above to turn from the start as faras the depression marked 1, and this7 as before explained, causes theescapementto score one-half'. When the key is released the shaft D isrocked back by its springs E and causes the plate M to return, and theescapement is allowed to score the other half, thus causing the dial-finger to record one. Vhen I touch key 2 its lifter rocks the shaft Dsufficiently to turn the plate M from the start down to and pastdepression l up to elevation 2, thus scoring two halves, or one, and onreturn of the shaft and plate M the other one, thus recording two. Thelifters continue to be thus adjusted through all the units. When key 9is pressed down the shaft D is rocked so far that the plate M turnsaround past all the depressions and elevations, scoring nine halves, andon the return the other nine halves, making eighteen movements, andrecording nine units on the dial-plate. The numbers here shown indicatethe principle.

My escapement-wheel has ten teeth; but I could have one with twenty andreduce the motion in other ways. If any change be made in proportion itcan be regulated to suit. The principle is in the adjustment of the keysto operate the escapement substantially in the manner shown.

The number of wheels might be reduced by forming the irregular groove min the gear-segment K and directing the bent rod a therein. Theprinciple would remain the same.

Upon the face of the frame A is another dialplate, V, with numbersdenoting tens, and the relation existing between the two dial-plates isthe same as is found in gas-meters, cyclometers, and similarinstruments.

IV represents the motor-spring, adapted to be wound up as a clock. it iscarries the large gear X, from which niotion is transmitted throughappropriate gears to the dial or escapeinent-shaft S and to the shaftwhich operates the dial-finger Z of the dialplate recording tens. Thissystem of wheels I have not deemed it necessary to particularly setforth, because it is the mechanism of any ordinary clock, and will notrequire the exercise of invention to comprehend. It is sufficient to saythat for every ten units record-A ed on the dial-plate II one ten isrecorded on dial V. The same principle will apply to a dial adapted torecord hundreds.

Now, I use the device for adding as follows, given a column of figureslike this for example: 2 3 5 6 I press the key 9, and the first dialrecords 9 then press key 6, and the finger goes around to 5, while theother dial records l; then press key 3 and the finger indicates S, thusshowing from both dials that 18 is the sum of the first row. Put down S,then move the dialfinger to zero again.` The second dial-finger isadapted to be turned by simply moving it around with the hand, it beingupon a loose sleeve and moved by friction in a manner well known. Thefirst finger can be run around quickly bythe keys; then, having one tocarry, touch key l, then 8, 5, and 2 in succession, and the firstdial-finger will indicate 6 and the second l. Put down 16. That by theside of the 8 will give the result-168.

In short columns the device is not as useful as in long ones. When thelatter have to be added the time taken in turning the dials after eachrow is not noticeable.

Although I have described the lifters upon the ends of the keys as beingsimply metal forks, it is obvious that I could improve upon them bymakingthem adjustable by set-screws, so that each could be set to movethe rocking shaft with accuracy.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. In an adding-machine having a dial-plate and indicator adapted to bemoved by clock mechanism and an escapement, the oscillating plate M,with its groove m for releasing said escapement, when arrangedsubstantially as herein set forth.

2. In an adding-machine having dialplates The shaft on which- IOO IIO

Ils

and indicators adapted to be moved by clock mechanism and anescapeinent, the oscillating` plate M, With its groove m for releasingsaid escapement, in combination with the means for oscillating saidplate, consisting of the pinion Z, segment K, crank I, upright rod G,crank I?, rocking shaft D, with its pins d, and removable keys B, withtheir adjusted lifters b, when arranged substantially as and for thewhen arranged and used substantially as herezo in described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

1o purpose herein described.

3. The keys B, with their adjusted lifters b, PETER C' FORRESTER'rocking shaft D, With its springs E and pins Witnesses: d, crank F,upright rod Gr, crank I, shaft J, WM. F. Boo'rn, gear-segment K, pinionl, shaft L, plate M, J. H. BLOOD.

